The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 09, 2008
Filed:
Apr. 05, 2005
Adam Sweeney, San Jose, CA (US);
Fusun Ertemalp, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Hugh Holbrook, San Francisco, CA (US);
Adam Sweeney, San Jose, CA (US);
Fusun Ertemalp, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Hugh Holbrook, San Francisco, CA (US);
Cisco Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and systems for distributing packets across all available output paths within a network is provided. A distribution key is extracted from each packet and is hashed to generate a hash value. An output path for each packet is selected by using all N bits of the hash value to address a distribution table having at least 2indications of the output paths available for that packet. Thus, the stream of packets is distributed, or split up, across the available output paths, thereby balancing the load. In some embodiments, the order of the output paths is randomized within each distribution table. Other embodiments include a forwarding table used to determine the available output paths for a particular packet. In yet other embodiments, the distribution key includes the packet's source and destination; thus preventing packets within the same stream having varying latencies due to traveling along varying paths.